Climate Change is a Threat Without Borders, Stakeholders Call for Urgent Action

By Abdullahi Lukman

Following the floods that displaced residents in Mokwa, Niger State, last month, it is now clear that climate change is no longer a distant threat. Its devastating effects are becoming alarming and are disrupting the lives and livelihoods of many Nigerians with little warning or protection.

 

In a bid to confront these realities, Natural Justice organized a two-day legal training in Lagos targeted specifically at female lawyers. The event brought together legal professionals, environmental advocates, academics, and students to rethink how Nigeria’s legal system can respond more effectively to environmental and climate-related harm.

 

In his opening remarks, Barrister Michael Karipo, Country Manager at Natural Justice, emphasized the importance of involving women in this fight against climate change, given their vulnerability to its impacts.

 

“It is part of our sensitization and awareness project on climate change,” he said. “We wanted to focus on women, especially female lawyers, because we understand that women suffer the most from climate change impacts. So, we have gathered lawyers from across Nigeria to think through what climate change is and what sort of legal strategies we can employ to deal with the climate change impacts that we observe here in Nigeria.”

 

Karipo further underscored the urgency of national preparedness. He noted that while climate-related disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, Nigeria’s approach has largely been reactive, focusing on relief rather than prevention.

 

“There has to be climate change preparedness. We have seen that the frequency and intensity of climate impact is increasing every year. We have done a historical follow-up from 2012 to 2022, down to 2025, and we have seen that every time we have this crisis, it is getting bigger and worse,” he said.

 

“It is not about providing relief, it is about ensuring that people don’t suffer. It is by being prepared and utilizing the funds that are available to create awareness. But that is not what is happening. We see funds like the ecological fund being utilized for political purposes, to pay security officers and all of that, which is not why it was put together.”

 

Karipo called for accountability, especially in using the newly established Climate Change Fund under the Climate Change Act, saying, “We must make sure that when that fund becomes operational, it is utilized for adaptation and mitigation of climate change.”

 

Dr. Erimma Gloria Orie, an environmental law expert and lecturer at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), stressed the urgency of climate change, explaining that its impact often spreads beyond immediate locations and is difficult to quantify.

 

She also emphasized the need to equip judges with specialized knowledge to handle climate-related cases. According to Orie, many victims of climate damage are left without justice, not because there are no applicable laws, but because the courts are unequipped to interpret and enforce them properly.

 

“We have advocated for green courts, where the judges that sit in it will have special training both in interpretation of the law and in the judgment that they give,” she said. “This is so that they give a judgment that is in tandem with the times.”

 

The Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr. Suleiman Arigbabu, also emphasized the importance of equipping lawyers to fully grasp the realities on the ground before heading to court.

 

“It’s important that they know what the realities are,” he said. “The lawyers can know what the legal implications are, but how do they link up? They could be pursuing litigation around something else different from what they ought to be litigating on if they are not fully informed.”

 

He also added that expert collaboration is essential to bridge the knowledge gap in courtrooms.

 

“Lawyers have the room to bring in expert witnesses to court. People with proven qualifications and pedigree in this area of knowledge. It is important that renowned institutions and universities can provide experts to help educate the bench on these things. That way, the lawyers can then work on the statutes that help to establish that somebody has an obligation that either has not been discharged or was inadequately or, perhaps, wrongfully discharged.”

 

Karipo disclosed at the end of the training that this was just the beginning of a broader nationwide campaign.

 

“This is the first cohort. Hopefully, we will be having training across the country. The next one will be held in Abuja, the northern part of the country. And we want to get as many lawyers from the north as possible to that particular process,” he said.